Pulse
01 Sep 2025
At a recent dinner to mark the 35th anniversary of the Taoist Federation and Singapore’s 60th year of independence, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasised that Singapore must work harder to prevent social and religious disharmony.
Acknowledging that multiculturalism has been Singapore’s strength, PM Wong noted: ‘We have different religious beliefs, but we have always respected each other and lived in harmony.’ He added that faith communities must continue to play a crucial role ‘in strengthening mutual trust among our people.’
For a multicultural and the most religiously diverse country in the world, social harmony is essential to the wellbeing and flourishing of Singapore. This message has been drummed in repeatedly – and rightly so because social cohesion is always a work in progress and complacency is not an option.
Scholars tell us that social cohesion is a term that lacks a single, universally accepted definition. Be that as it may, at its most basic, social cohesion has to do with the ability of a society made up of people from diverse backgrounds to live peaceably with one another.
The Khan Review, which was published by the UK’s Conservative government in 2024, helpfully describes social cohesion as ‘both the horizontal interactions (relationships between individuals, communities and groups) and vertical interactions (the relationships between members of society with the state and its institutions).’
Far from being a secular ideal – as it is sometimes portrayed – social cohesion is an important concept in Christianity that is presented not just as a pragmatic necessity, but a moral calling.
For the Christian, the moral imperative to work towards social harmony and peace is established on the basis of biblical revelation that all human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). Thus, all human beings, regardless of their ethnicity, religious commitments or social status, possess inviolable dignity and must be valued and respected.
The moral imperative to promote and contribute to social harmony is also implied in Jesus’ command to his followers not only to love their neighbours (Luke 10:27) but – more radically – their enemies also (Matthew 5:43-48).
One of the most important concepts in Christian social doctrine that has direct relevance to the fostering of social harmony and flourishing is that of the common good. This idea naturally flows from Jesus’ command that his disciples should demonstrate generous and unconditional love.
Although firmly grounded in Scripture, the concept and language of the common good has wide currency in the modern world, especially in liberal democracies. However, as some writers have pointed out, the concept has become fraught with misunderstanding in contemporary culture and society.
In some contexts, the concept has become polemicised and politicised to the extent that it breeds suspicion and division. In other contexts, the concept has been subjected to ever greater levels of abstraction such that it is rendered vacuous.
It is not surprising that this concept (along with others such as social justice) has suffered ongoing scepticism in contemporary society.
In the Christian tradition, the concept of the common good is established on robust theological convictions, not fleeting pragmatic concerns or utilitarian ethics. Some of the most comprehensive and influential treatments of the common good comes from the Roman Catholic tradition, especially its comprehensive social doctrine.
Gaudium et Spes (‘Joys and Hopes’), the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, issued on 7 December 1965 at the Second Vatican Council, defines the common good as
… the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfilment …
Put differently, the common good has to do with establishing that social environment that is conducive for the flourishing of society and its individual members. To achieve this, the document adds, ‘Every social group must take account of the needs and legitimate aspirations of other groups, and even of the general welfare of the entire human family.’
The common good can only be realised when the various groups and individual members of a society understand and appreciate their interdependence on one another. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church explains this succinctly and well:
The common good does not consist in the simple sum of the particular goods of each subject of a social entity. Belonging to everyone and to each person, it is and remains ‘common’, because it is indivisible and because only together is it possible to attain it, increase it and safeguard its effectiveness, with regard also to the future. Just as the moral actions of an individual are accomplished in doing what is good, so too the actions of a society attain their full stature when they bring about the common good. The common good, in fact, can be understood as the social and community dimension of the moral good.
The concept of the common good is consistent with Christian theological anthropology (understanding of the human being) which emphasises the communal nature of human beings created in God’s image. The human person cannot find fulfilment in himself. He exists ‘with’ others and ‘for’ others.’
This truth, which has deep roots in the Christian tradition, is now widely acknowledged by secular philosophers and sociologists. It calls into question the radical individualism that is manifested in modern culture and society, especially but not exclusively in the West.
The pursuit of the common good is not just the responsibility of some aspects of society or social institutions, such as the state (although it has an important role to play). It is the responsibility of every individual and every group that is part of society in question.
This implies that the pursuit of the common good requires a participatory society. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church makes clear:
‘Participation’ is the voluntary and generous engagement of a person in social interchange. It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person.
Participation here does not suggest grand or heroic acts. As the Catechism explains:
Participation is achieved first of all by taking charge of the areas for which one assumes personal responsibility: by the care taken for the education of his family, by conscientious work, and so forth, man participates in the good of others and society.
Participation requires citizens to take an active part in public life such as exercising their rights to vote and engaging in meaningful discussion about issues that affect the common life of society.
The state or government also has a crucial role to play in fostering cohesion in society. To its credit, the Singapore government has launched many initiatives over the years to bring the culturally diverse population together.
These include the Racial and Religious Harmony Circles, promoting positive online contents and numerous community resilience and support programmes. Individual Christians and Christian organisations should actively support and participate in such initiatives for the sake of the common good and societal harmony.
There is a dialectical relationship between social cohesion and the pursuit of the common good. The pursuit of the common good requires a foundation of mutual trust and commitment among members of society and their respective groups, even as it fosters and deepens a sense of solidarity.
A society can only be harmonious and flourish when the common good of all its members is prioritised. To borrow a compelling metaphor of the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: society must be seen as ‘a home we build together.’
This can only happen if each person ‘looks not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others’ (Philippians 2:4).
Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor at Trinity Theological College (Singapore) and Theological and Research Advisor of the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity.